Irish down for year with torn meniscus

Bell has served in those roles for the last two seasons, but he said he decided to step away to “reassess where I can make the greatest impact, on and off the field.”

Mozeliak said he’s expecting Major League Baseball owners to vote on the transfer from Arte Moreno to Kroenke Sports & Entertainment sometime during the MLB owners meeting in New York the week of November 16th. KSE announced a deal to purchase the Angels in September, and there was a belief the transition would happen at the beginning of 2027. That process is being sped up, which is good for the Angels because the team has decided to hold off on hiring a general manager and a manager until ownership changes hands. This means the Angels would be able to potentially rush and hire somebody before the lockout likely begins on December 1st.

Pujols is currently in the fourth year of a 10-year contract he signed to be a consultant for the Angels; however, the 11-time All-Star and three-time MVP has made it clear since his retirement in 2022 that he wants to manage. Pujols managed Team Dominican Republic to a third-place finish during this year’s World Baseball Classic and also has managerial experience in Dominican winter ball. He interviewed for the San Diego Padres and Angels managerial openings last winter, and expressed an interest in this Mets job this June when Carlos Mendoza was let go. Pujols will be interviewed in Houston by a former Cardinals teammate after Randy Flores was hired as the team’s general manager this week. Texas Rangers bench coach Luis Urueta will also interview for the job this weekend.

Francisca leads all AFL hitters in batting average, RBI, and hits while also ranking second in OPS. He’s slashing .409/.467/.667 in 14 games with three home runs, 24 RBI, five steals, and a 14/8 K/BB ratio. He’ll likely open 2027 at Double-A and is emerging as a really interesting prospect.

Walcott is hitting .316/.369/.474 in 13 games with 20 RBI, nine steals, and a 14/6 K/BB ratio. The 20-year-old missed the majority of the minor league season after shoulder surgery but has looked good this fall. He should begin the 2027 season at Triple-A with a real chance to debut for the Rangers by mid-season.

The 6'6" right-hander has allowed 11 runs (eight earned) on 11 hits in 18 2/3 innings across six starts. He also leads all AFL pitchers with 26 strikeouts and is tied for fourth with 13 walks. Susana is coming off lat surgery and only pitched for one month in the minors this season, so it’s good to see him producing in the AFL. He has a chance to break into the Nationals’ rotaiton in the middle of the 2027 season.

The Miller’s second-ranked prospect played just four games in the 2026 season due to back issues. He’s been producing in 14 AFL games, hitting .333/.562/.500 with six steals and an impressive 24/16 K/BB ratio. Miller’s future position remains in question, but he should start the 2027 season at Triple-A with a chance to be promoted if he gets off to a good start.

Peete is the Cardinals’ 17th-ranked prospect, but was a first-round pick by the Mariners in 2023. The 21-year-old is hitting .328/.410/.612 in 16 AFL games and is tied for the second-most stolen bases and second-most triples. He’s making himself part of the Cardinals’ future plans.

O’Dowd currently leads the AFL with six home runs and is second with 21 RBI in 17 games. He’s also slashing .313/.343/.687 but does have an 18/2 K/BB ratio, which is something to keep an eye on. He’ll likely begin next season at Double-A, but he’s 25 years old, so the Rockies could be aggressive with promoting him if he continues to hit.

Ellis, who previously worked as a special assistant in the San Diego Padres’ front office, has some familiarity with manager Andy Green. Ellis was an MLB catcher for 11 seasons, so he’ll bring plenty of big league experience to the Mets’ coaching staff; although, his exact role remains in question.